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* **The Frostcrystal Mine**

Skypride led three squads of elite members along with several high-level secondary-profession players deeper into the cavern.

Once the fighting began, there would be no time left to survey the terrain. They had to use the current window to understand the distribution of monsters and mineral veins here. In a critical moment, that knowledge might very well make the difference.

A Level-1 guild could recruit up to 500 players. Yet Cloud Edge alone already had more than 2,000 fully active members who could respond to orders at any time. Moreover, in the current national server, theirs was the only guild available to join.

Although players could enter other guilds as reserve members, when it came to guilds, joining early meant enjoying the benefits sooner. In Dreamscape, even a Level-1 guild granted a 1% bonus to party experience. As the guild leveled up, more functions and benefits would gradually unlock.

That 1% experience bonus should not be underestimated. Many players on the leaderboard had been raised through sheer numbers, the so-called leechers. With that extra 1% boost accumulating over time, it could eventually place them an entire tier above others.

Most of Cloud Edge’s members had originally been core members anyway, so their leveling speed was extremely fast. By the end of today, they believed they could push the guild to Level 2, expanding the capacity to 1,000 members.

A Guild Creation Token could only drop from Unique bosses or higher. As for who currently had the strength to defeat one…

It would probably require several hundred players above Level 20, along with a good deal of luck and perfect control. If the attempt failed, not only would they lose an entire day’s leveling progress, they might even be suppressed by rival guilds afterward.

Because of that, Cloud Edge’s advantage would likely remain unchallenged for quite some time. That was also the reason Skypride had boldly purchased the Guild Creation Token in the first place.

“Guildmaster, should we clear the mobs first?” a mage player with the ID: AkiSaury asked.

‘A Unique monster? Well, that made sense. If a mineral vein didn’t have formidable monsters guarding it, it would have been completely plundered long ago.’

After the baptism of yesterday’s battle, Cloud Edge had purchased a large amount of Epic-tier equipment. Against high-level monsters, they would no longer be as helpless as before. Even if the Undead Centaur appeared again, Skypride believed he could hold the line and force it down through sheer strength.

This was not blind confidence. The true power of cavalry lay in their first charge, which was nearly impossible to stop. But once that charge was blocked, their momentum quickly collapsed.

The Ice Crystal Animas possessed extremely strong attributes, but they were scattered widely. Roughly one could only be seen every hundred meters.

“No need. Leave them for now. We might be able to make use of them later.”
“Understood.”

***

From the panic at the beginning to the wild delight he felt now, Zane could not help but let the corners of his mouth curl upward.

Zedana froze for a moment. Had this human been frightened stupid?

“Hmph, prepare to die!” The boss raised its hand high into the air. Blazing Incineration was about to descend again!

Starry stepped back several paces and leveled her blade at Zedana. Three points aligned into a single line. ‘Right there. Charge!’ The Mad Swordsman turned into a streak of afterimages and shot straight toward the flames hanging in midair.

**Boom!**

The damage was exactly as expected. However, Zedana began swaying unsteadily, little stars spinning above its head. Its casting was interrupted. The boss was successfully stunned!

As Starry was about to drop back down, she grabbed hold of its legs. “Get down here!”

With brute force alone, miracles could happen. Pouring every ounce of strength into the motion, she actually dragged the boss downward with her.

**Whoosh!**

A purple Armor Break debuff attached itself to the boss as the Guardbreak Arrow struck true.

This guy had really grown arrogant. Previously, they had not dared prolong the fight because the sky had been filled with Fire Spirits. But now… With all of his skills already figured out, chasing them alone had simply handed them an opportunity.

Even so, Zane did not relax. Transforming back into the Wishkeeper, he refreshed all the buffs before charging forward with his Mana Blade blazing with momentum.

One sweeping slash tore away 8,970 HP from the boss. At the same time, Mana Surge erupted outward, blasting another 4,725 HP from its health bar.

Starry did not stop either. Icy Moon Slash crashed down with a thunderous arc, enhanced by Autumn Strike.

With Armor Break, elemental advantage, and the amplification from Autumn Strike, the damage of Icy Moon Slash had been boosted to an astonishing level. 190,000 HP remaining.

With such a massive level difference, the stun effect would not last long. Zedana was already about to break free!

‘This is bad. If we failed to control him properly and got counter-killed instead, that would be downright embarrassing.’

“Invoke: Frost!” A chilling breath swept through the air as frost blossoms descended. The raging flames evaporated them into vapor the instant they made contact, yet the fire’s power was also noticeably weakened.

This time the skill activated smoothly. Perhaps it was because they had moved away from that volcanic environment earlier. Combined with the sudden freezing effect, the boss’ body shuddered violently, as if it had been struck by a grave illness.

But that alone was clearly not enough to seal the boss’ movements. He was about to stand up!

“Let me handle it!” Treka suddenly stopped attacking and rushed forward with her longbow in hand.

‘What the—?’ Zane was startled and quickly stepped aside.

The Light Elf lifted her bow horizontally, gripping both pointed ends. Aiming directly at Zedana’s chest, she pressed down with force!

The damage was barely more than a scratch. But Treka’s movement did not stop. White light flashed in her hands, flowing from the bow’s frame and extending downward, forming countless shards of radiant crystal.

‘This is… Prismatic Shield?’

The boss widened its eyes and tried to rise, but the radiant shield pinned it down so firmly that it could not move at all. Only then did Zane realize what was happening.

‘Good heavens, that was some hardcore crowd control!’ Without wasting the opportunity created by his ally, Zane continued his assault. Without Icy Moon Slash, however, Starry’s damage output was almost negligible.

But now… it was time to call Starmew!

“Roaar—!” The Frostfang Tiger burst forth with a ferocious howl, its Frost Claw slamming viciously into the enemy.

Against a Unique boss, the damage was starting to feel a bit lacking, though it was not terrible.

…

After a series of relentless attacks, Zedana’s HP dropped to 150,000.

Cracks spread across the Prismatic Shield, while Treka’s delicate hands had already been burned to a horrifying degree.

**Shff!**

The glow of the Mana Blade suddenly vanished. ‘Did I finally run out of MP…?’

With the dual mana recovery effects active, Zane could keep attacking for a while longer!¹　

Finally, when the boss’ HP fell to 120,000, the Prismatic Shield shattered into fragments. Treka was blasted several steps back by the flames erupting from within.

“…” Zedana had already grown extremely weak, unable to utter a single word. Summoning the power of fire, a crimson ring of flames gathered around him, forcing Starry and Zane back toward the outer perimeter.

At the same time, lightning flashed at his fingertips, surging outward in a torrent mixed with raging flames! But this time Zane had already prepared a response. The moment the boss began charging the skill, he had transformed back into the Swiftshadow Wolf and slammed his claw into the ground.

One of the gray wolves was pierced through by the thunderflame before it even fully materialized.

As expected, it could not withstand the attack.

The other two gray wolves howled and charged toward Zedana, only to be burned into ash by the Ring of Inferno.

They had managed to preserve their lives, but the combat environment had suddenly become far worse. If they could not get close, they would be forced to endure attacks passively.

Turning his head, Zane saw Treka’s fingers split and bleeding, yet she still stubbornly drew her bow, continuing her difficult assault.

“…” Only then did Zane remember. For the Light Elf, this was a battle of life and death. If that was the case, then he too had to muster the courage to fight with everything he had.

Within the glow of white light, the Swiftshadow Wolf transformed once more into the Wishkeeper.

In an instant Zane appeared behind the boss.

Lady Luck had not favored him this time. Under the suppression caused by the level gap, the boss’ evasion rate was extremely high, and the slash struck nothing but empty air.

Of course, the attack still succeeded in drawing the enemy’s aggro. Zedana slowly turned around, its eyes blazing with fury, and a flaming hand suddenly clamped around the blonde girl’s throat.

Merely approaching the Fire Spirits would automatically place one under the Burn status, and the crushing force tightening around his neck nearly made it impossible for him to breathe.

**Bzzz—!**

That familiar sound… it was Meteor Arrow!

**Boom!**

The arrow slammed into Zedana’s head. The terrifying impact drove it stumbling forward again and again, yet Zedana’s hand never loosened its grip. Zane’s face had already turned purple.

‘Am I really about to be strangled to death?’

Not only that, his HP had already fallen to 4,700. He would not even last four seconds. The Shadowfiend Shoulder Pads triggered their effect, obscuring the boss’ vision, yet he still refused to let go.

‘F̲u̲c̲k̲!’ Zane’s heart clenched. There was no time left. He could not worry about the Ring of Inferno anymore. He had no choice but to charge straight through with Starry!

**Whoosh!**

But the figure beside Starry moved even faster. Countless flames slammed into Treka’s body. Her HP dropped rapidly, losing 30% in less than half a second.

“Are you insane!?”

“Just a minor wound.” The Light Elf smiled faintly and swung the longbow in her hands, smashing it hard against Zedana’s head.

***
#Author’s Note:#
I forgot to post the equipment’s stat earlier, teehee-pero!

#Translator’s Note:#
Fuuuuudge! I knew it! It wasn’t me!